


Got that Valentine feeling

by charliepoet13



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Valentines day shenanigans, lots of fluff, pairings to be added as it goes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2019-10-26 07:51:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17741894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charliepoet13/pseuds/charliepoet13
Summary: Some short stories on how the couples of Fairytail spent their Valentine.





	1. Lolu in the rain

**Author's Note:**

> I have been so sick lately blergh, Like I got over a bad head cold and got a stomach bug right after, still I hope you enjoy these small stories, I wanted to do something for the special day, so here we are.

It was just going to be one of those awful days, or so she figured. It was plain bad timing to get caught out in the rain on what was looking to be a miserable Valentine’s day. To make matters  significantly worse, she didn’t have an umbrella or a coat, the bad weather had caught her by complete surprise.

_So much for being ‘Lucky’ Lucy Heartfilia._

She continued to grumble herself about her misfortunes as she ducked under a storefront for shelter, debating on whether or not she should just go inside until the weather clears.

Her friends and guildmates all had their own plans, working on the holiday seemed to be a big no in Fairytail’s book, so she was alone for the day. She had tried to stave off her boredom, but a writer's block threatened to send her spiralling into a bad mood, she had quickly decided today was a ‘Lucy’ day, for the sake of her sanity, and she was just going to relax. She had just wanted to buy herself some sweet treats, curl up with a book and rest.

Instead, however, her mood was souring with the sky, glaring at the rain flowing down the pavement, into the gutters below. She pulled her carrier bag close, not wanting her sweets to get ruined by the ever encroaching downpour.

_I wonder if it would be worth it to just run home, I don’t think things can get much worse anyway._

She took in a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the long run home, oh stars what if she tripped and landed in a puddle or something, she was going to be soaked, cold, miserable-

“What’s a lovely princess like you doing alone on such a marv-...uh love-filled day?”

That bemused voice could only belong to one person, she let out a small groan in response. She tilted her head up to give Loke a once over, the lion spirit was currently grinning down at her, looking way too happy giving the situation. She absently noted he wasn’t in his suit and tie, rather he was back in his large green jacket, in fact he looked completely like he did back when she had first joined Fairytail, how nostalgic. As nice as he looked in a casual getup ( though she would never admit that to his face) it meant he was playing human again, which could only mean one thing. The thought of how Loke was spending Valentine's seemed to add to her misery, feelings for him that constantly went ignored were rising to the surface with a vengeance, his happiness shouldn’t have caused her to snap...and yet-

“Well Loke, not all of us have hundreds of people throughout Fiore willing to jump at the chance for a date. So how many lucky girls have had your attention today? I can't even begin to imagine the amount of jewels you must spend on chocolate”

She must have imagined the hurt that flashed in his eyes, or that’s what she told herself. His smile slipped from his face, the seriousness in his response startling her.

“Just the one Lucy, believe it or not. I don’t go around flirting with women anymore, you changed that part of me...I wish you would believe me when I say that”

An uncomfortable feeling swirled around in her stomach, the beginnings of guilt causing her to fiddle with the handles of the bag.

“Oh...well...then who?”

He shook his head at her, sighing in response, hands burying deep into his pockets.

“You Lucy, I’ve only seen you today. You seemed alone, which is criminal honestly. The fact that no one thought to spend today with you is a huge mistake, one that i’m sure they will kick themselves for when they realise I had such an amazing women all to myself and they missed out...or so I thought anyway”

How could he go from looking so happy when talking about her to looking so defeated? He managed it in the space of a sentence. The awful feeling in her gut returned full force, ah yes there it is, the guilt at trying to drag Loke down with her, what a fantastic Spirit mage she was.

“Sorry Loke...just because i’m freezing and having a bad day doesn’t mean I get to ruin yours, that was harsh of me”

“...You’re cold...”

She flinched at that, well she had been a little cold-hearted, it was hard to disagree with him. She looked up at him, ready to apologise again, but instead almost jumped at how close they were. Trying to get any kind of thoughts through the fog in her mind proved to be too much of a challenge, so she watched helplessly as he gently held her hand in his, frowning in concern. Oh, she was shaking, trust him to get distracted over something as small as that.

“Ah yeah, I’m wet and it’s not exactly a warm day so... W-what are you doing?!”

He paused, his jacket now in his hand, showing off the muscles in his arms and shoulders, usually hidden to the world. She congratulated herself on not stopping to stare, instead focusing on what he held out to her, a small confused smile on his face.

“Giving you my jacket? A knight can’t let their mistress catch a cold you know, I’ll defend you against anything...even a little sickness bug”

He pried the carrier bag from her stubborn grip and unceremoniously dumped the baggy piece of clothing in her arms,smiling at her encouragingly when she shot him a disbelieving look.’Reluctantly’ she put it on, having to zip it up to stop it blowing in the wind that was chasing the rain. She couldn’t deny that it was warm, comfortable even, and if she allowed herself a moment, she could admit that being in _his_ clothes was appealing. But it was made for a man taller than her so…

“I bet I look ridiculous, the sleeves are so long on me you can barely see my hands!”

“Wrong!” She jumped, turning her face to see Loke’s inches from hers, a familiar glint in his eye. “You look adorable Lucy, please keep it, you can wear it forever”

Warmth burned on her cheeks, she knew she must have been blushing, not one to back down however, she turned from him, hands moving to the zip so she could take it off.

“I should have known that you were just being a flirt, why were you even wearing this to begin with? Geez you can have this back”

“No Lucy” His hands quickly captured hers, preventing her from removing the offending jacket. “I won’t take it back until you’re home. Also I’m like this because...well…” She had to be seeing things, was he blushing? “Well I wanted to spend time with you today. It’s a selfish wish of mine, of Loke’s not Leo, it’s not Celestial Spirit related. So I couldn’t really justify using your magic for it, not that I would want to tire you out anyway...well maybe there’s a certain time in which I would like to tire you out”

That self-satisfied grin was back on his face, part of her was glad he was happy again, another part rebelled against her and her feelings, a pity that side won.

“You just had to ruin the moment didn’t you?”

“My sweet Lucy, didn’t you know flirting creates moments? Why I feel closer to you already”

As if to prove his point, he scooted closer, an arm wrapping around her waist, pulling her into his chest. Once more a warm feeling spread through her, how was he able to make her day so much brighter? He was so silly and yet… Denying how she felt wasn’t getting her anywhere, so she took the moment to indulge in his heartbeat, the most soothing sound she knew. It confirmed that he was here with her, that he had chosen to spend this time with her, it undeniably made her feel a little special. She allowed him a small smile, basking in the light behind his returning grin, his breath visible as he shivered a little. The bubble burst, as she remembered the rain hammering down around her, he must be so cold. She let out a sigh and left his hold, trying to ignore his upset look.

“Alright you win, let’s go home together”

“Home? As in your home? Really Lucy?”

He had no right to look so excited, bouncing the way he was, she was reminded of a puppy more than a lion.

“Yes Loke, together, eating all those sweets by myself would have felt a bit lonely anyway”

“Alright! Let’s go then,oh I can't wait to be with you all day, in your home! I don’t think i’ve ever actually visited! But I bet I can get there first”

She snorted, amused by his enthusiasm, before schooling her expression into an unimpressed stare.

“Aren’t you getting a little ahead of yourself there?”

He stopped still, everything he said seeming to finally sink in. The panic almost made her giggle.

“Sorry, you probably don’t want to spend all day with me, I mean you’ll want some alone time, I just figured that maybe-”

He was cut off by her finger on his lips, a sly grin taking over her face.

“I meant, do you really think you could beat me to my own home?” She turned and took off, the rain no longer bothering her, leaving him standing there with her shopping. She took a moment to yell over her shoulder at him. “ No teleporting there either, that’s cheating!”

She heard a loud laugh before footsteps joined her own, he was bound to catch up she knew it but that wasn’t important. It was all in the chase, according to some maybe not so trustworthy sources at Fairytail, well she was going to give him a hell of a time.

“Isn’t rushing ahead cheating?!”

He was close behind her now, he didn’t have to push himself too hard to keep up, damn his longer legs.

“No, that’s called strategy”

“Oh? Well then so is this”

Before she had time to react, Loke pushed forward, side by side with her, before jumping into a nearby puddle, splashing her and causing her to stop. He chuckled at her spluttering before moving away from her again.

“Hey, I thought you were supposed to protect me from bugs, not make me sick!”

“My jacket caught most of it! Be thankful I lent it to you”

A small growl escaped her lips as she started her own charge once more, she was going to get him back for that. She caught up with him easily, too easily for her liking. She knew how fast he could run, this wasn’t the first time he had ran away from her after all,  so she quickly figured he was going slow for her. How annoying! She spotted a puddle of her own, making the leap to get him with it. However her revenge was stopped by an all too elegant dodge on his part. Was the the backflip necessary? He was just showing off now.

“What is this, a dancing competition?”

“For you my princess, it’s whatever you want it to be, dance with me”

“In the rain?! Loke I think you’ve finally lost it”

“Maybe, or maybe it’s just being with you that makes me crazy”

“No way, you definitely always were”

A loud shout of protest went ignored as she ran laughing down the street, determined to win, somewhat pleased that Loke still kept chasing after her. While she was still getting  completely drenched, she couldn’t fight against the sun in her heart, and how her day had just gotten infinitely brighter.


	2. Gruvia on the ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juvia convinces a reluctant Gray to spend some time on the ice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live, I wanted all the chapters to be done by Valentines, but my sickness isn't leaving me. I'm sorry but these mini chapters will be done when my head finally isn't trying to kill off the rest of my body.

He had been accosted the moment he had walked into the guild, a certain water mage demanding that he spent the whole day with her. Well he didn’t have anything planned and spending time with Juvia was always interesting to say the least, even more so now that they were together. It had taken a long time, and a desperate situation, for him to admit his ever present feelings, but now he secretly enjoyed acting on them. He was pretty sure no one else knew of this secret pleasure though, so he was safe to agree to whatever she was planning, anything to stop the day from dragging under his feet.

 

What he hadn’t been expecting however was for them to stop at a large lake in a clearing, Juvia’s babbling giving him more questions than answers.

“You want me to freeze this whole lake? I can do that, but why would I?”

She puffed out her cheeks like she had really expected him to understand the inner workings of her mind.

“So Gray can teach Juvia how to skate on the ice, we can spend the whole day here together, isn’t that romantic?”

Oh so that was what she wanted, he could feel his interest slipping a little away from him, maybe it would have been better to stay at the guild?

“I suppose? But wouldn’t it be better if you got an actual trainer to help you? I don’t exactly skate professionally you know”

“No, because then we wouldn’t be spending time together! Please Gray, help me with this”

At that, she looked up at him, eyes watering a little at the corners. _ Shoot _ . He had to look away to prevent himself falling for her puppy dog tears, telling himself he didn’t care when she looked sadly down at her feet.

“I guess Juvia will have to ask Lyon for help...”

A shiver ran up his spine as an all too familiar annoying feeling made itself known. He blamed it for the way he froze up completely, before glaring down at her.

“Fine, I guess I'll help you. I have nothing better to do anyway”

“Thank you! Let’s get started right away”

He groaned while she celebrated, body loosening up a little now he knew she wasn’t going to run off somewhere. He really needed to reign this in, but for some reason ( one that he knew quite well if allowed himself to admit that) the thought of Lyon and Juvia together drove him to do crazy things.

“Ok so do you actually have any skates to wear?”

The silence that followed was rather telling, he sighed as he tugged gently on her arm,

“Sit down, i’ll make some”

To her credit, she was actually still as he used his Ice make to create skates to attach to her boots, she even waited patiently for him as he did his own shoes. He supposed he was too used to the frantic behaviour of his team, that this relaxed moment surprised him, not that it was a bad thing though. His ice was only a temporary fix, it would melt pretty quick in warm weather, but it would do for a quick lesson. Next time he would make sure to bring proper footwear for the both of them.

_ Wait, what do I mean next time?! _

He was so stumped by his own stupidity that it took him a moment to feel her tugging at his arm, trying to pull him to the lake. He outwardly made a show of being annoyed by her as he trudged over, but inside he felt a rush that only came with calling on his magic, his fingers touched the water and as his ice took over, slowly freezing the lake, a small smile crept onto his face. He felt movement beside him as Juvia slowly moved onto the ice, her eyes caught his for a brief moment before she stumbled forward. Instinctively he moved onto the ice himself, catching her  and pulling her up against his chest. Her face was flushed red, she was probably embarrassed about slipping in front of him.

“Be careful, you can't be too quick on the ice, not until you get your balance anyway, take it slow ok?”

She nodded furiously, holding tightly onto his shirt, he had a nasty image of her falling flat onto her face with how eager she seemed to be. His protectiveness over her reared its ugly head, he wasn’t going to let her get hurt while he was right there,he allowed her to hold onto his hand as they slowly started to skate around the outside of the lake. She had chosen a peaceful day for it he supposed, it was a warm, clear day, he didn’t think they would be disturbed either. He watched as all the trees and plants growing along the lake passed him by, determined to look anywhere but the girl beside him, who was starting to get a little close. A part of him wanted to rush ahead, there was something soothing about gliding over ice, but the tight grip on his hand kept him grounded. Once they had completed a whole circuit of the lake, as slow as it was, he turned to her to compliment her, she was actually doing well for her first time, she hadn’t lost her balance since that first misstep, but stopped when he noticed her twitching. She kept slightly leaning forward, before pulling herself back. At first he thought she was trying to balance herself, but as she continued without tripping, he started to wonder if it was something else.

He decided to test his theory, he turned toward the centre of the lake, lightly pulling on her to try to get her to follow.Surprisingly, she easily turned with him, her every stride becoming more confident. A light bulb switched on in his head, though it was clear Juvia hadn’t caught on, she was just happy being hand in hand with him, that she didn’t she her little ploy unravelling. Intrigued as to how far she could really go, he let go of her hand and sped up, leaning forward as he lengthened his stride, pushing across the ice. His legs burned with the sudden rush, but it was something he enjoyed, the adrenaline flowing through him as he ran, used his magic, or, in this case, skated, was something he could never tire of. So caught up in the feeling of flying across the frozen lake, he almost didn’t notice Juvia at his side, keeping time with him almost effortlessly. He grinned at her before nodding to the other side of the lake, issuing a silent challenge. The responding smirk was all the warning he got before she took off, bits of ice flying under her boots as she plowed on. Happy for the sudden change in her, he never liked it really when she played all sweet and innocent for him, he didn’t know why she thought that was cute. This was the Juvia he lo-liked, the one with a burning passion in her, who was also going to beat him if he didn’t hurry. He wasn’t going to be beaten in his element! His skates scratched across the ice as he did all he could to catch up, a natural ice skater even if he didn't boast about it. He came neck and neck with her, planning on pushing ahead at the last second, when he caught a glimpse of her, so focused on her goal, the determination on her face made his heart pound, it wasn’t often she showed off how serious she could be when around him, he felt himself slow down a little. He couldn’t stop himself from letting Juvia get to the edge of the lake first, though, knowing her, who knows if she actually needed his help to win? She could be tenacious when she wanted to be. Besides, this was much better, her arms raised in victory, a satisfied grin on her face, he could just stand there and soak it in. But he did have a lie to point out sadly, but that didn’t mean he had to be angry with her, quite the opposite. He stopped her celebrations with a coy smile, she was busted and he felt she knew that, her arms and head both falling..

“So… you can actually skate then?”

Though why was she tricking him this whole time? Or at least trying to. Was this all just a silly prank or something? No that was more Natsu than Juvia, so what was she up to?

“Of course Juvia knows how to skate. Juvia learnt a long time ago so she could be helpful to Gray in a fight, it wouldn’t be good if she slipped everywhere on Gray’s ice!”

She snapped at him, acting defensive, like she hadn’t spent the last hour or so claiming the opposite. He crossed his arms, eyebrows crossing into a frown.

“Oh really? Then why were you getting me to teach you?”

“Because…” He watched as she flushed a bright red, fidgeting with her fingers in what he assumed was a sly attempt to look cute. “Because Juvia wanted to spend time with Gray doing something he would like...It’s a special day after all!”

It was? He was positive it wasn’t her birthday or something like that so then…

“What day is it today?”

“It’s Valentine's day!”

She looked absolutely aghast, but he ignored it over his own quiet realisation. That was today? He had really lost track of the time, well there was a really easy way to make it up to her, he should just go along with her gift.

“Listen...On a day like this I would just want to...spend some time with you. It doesn’t have to be anything as glamorous as all this you know”He saw her pout out of the corner of his eye and held up a hand to stop her arguments. “But...if you’re going to go to all this effort, you should show me what you can really do” He spluttered, belatedly realising how that sounded. “It will help when we team up in fights! That’s all!”

_ And maybe help him pick up some courage to dance with her. _

He shook his head at such ridiculous thoughts, trying to push them away, he finally noticed Juvia staring at him with such strict determination.

“Then watch as Juvia performs brilliantly! Gray will be so impressed you’ll want to stay on the ice forever with me”

And watch he did, as she moved around on the ice like she belonged there, flowing effortlessly like a river on top of the ice. He marvelled at the way she moved from jumps into spins, trick into trick, completely owning the ice and his attention. He allowed himself to admit he was floored by her performance, by her, by how beautiful she looked on the ice... though he wasn’t about to admit that out loud. He wasn’t about to get that sappy just yet.


	3. Jerza at home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erza fears she's going to be alone this Valentine's day, but will a surprise visit prove her wrong?

A sunny day in Magnolia. The birds were singing, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, which allowed the sun to drift into the windows at Fairy hills and onto the sleeping face of one Erza Scarlet. She groaned as she woke, not really in the mood to be awake, especially not today. She stared at the small flip calendar at her bedside, feeling a slight dread at seeing the date on the paper, mocking her. Valentine’s day, the day of lovers, no doubt that her family at Fairytail would all be off celebrating in one way or the other. This would be the perfect chance to check everything at the guild, make sure everything was tidy, all the paperwork in order, all the small jobs she had been putting off could easily be done while the building was vacant. 

_ What a depressing way to spend today. _

Sighing, she buried her face back into her pillow, she wasn’t what you could call an over the top romantic, but really, if she could, she wouldn't mind spending the day with him instead. Jellal, her childhood friend that her heart had set itself on. Lately she had been letting herself imagine a life with him, she had put more effort into doing more feminine things like keeping her hair beautiful. But, all her effort really amounted to nothing, Jellal had a heavy guilt he needed to work through, she would happily wait for as long as he needed, for the day when he felt he had finally repented for his sins, but she also wanted him here with her today. Her frustration spiked, annoyed by him not being here and by her own selfishness, pushing her to get up. She wasn’t going to sleep, might as well get some work done. She moved through her morning routine automatically, mind already in Fairytail mentally making a checklist of every task that will need completing, trying not to focus on why no one would be there, it just sent her spiraling down the rabbit hole again. She was dressed, fed and ready to leave when there was a small knock at the door. 

_ Who could that be so early in the day? _

Intrigued, if not slightly suspicious, she made her way to the door, opening it slowly at first before throwing it open when she saw who was visiting her. Donned in a dark blue cloak that obscured their face, anyone would be forgiven for acting defensively, but she just smiled as the figure pulled back their hood, revealing an equally soft smile.

“Jellal you…! I mean… what are you doing here? Without any sort of warning or letter…”

He, rather mercifully, held up a hand to silence her, his calm behaviour cooling her down. He looked around at the other dorm rooms, slightly biting his lip.

“I would love to fill you in Erza, but first may I come in?”

Oh, right, old habits die hard for Jellal, the council may have pardoned him for his crimes, but that didn't stop him from looking over his shoulder constantly, it seemed she wasn’t the only one that needed to relax. She moved to the side, beckoning him in before closing the door behind him, he looked around in awe, marvelling out loud at how large it was. She absentmindedly responded that it was actually several rooms connected together, before flushing slightly, wasn’t this is first time here? She had to make this an amazing visit! Thoughts of work quickly vanished from her mind ( her future self would curse the paperwork the next day) as she instead planned the perfect day in. Jellal probably wouldn’t want to go anywhere outside yet, he was still chasing down remnants of Zeref’s influences and Dark guilds, being recognised on the streets would hurt his cause. She would need to come up with interesting discussion topics, cook him a meal perhaps, maybe get some alcoho-

“Earthland to Erza? Hello? I was trying to answer your question”

She shook herself out of her thoughts, catching a bemused smile on Jellal’s lips. Everyone knows ignoring your guest was the height of manners...nice job there Erza. She shot him a sheepish smile in apology, inwardly annoyed that she got all tied up around him. 

“Sorry, I guess I was overthinking things. What was the question?”

He laughed loudly at that, where potential anger in her should be, warmth flowed instead. He had lost his childhood, grown so cold and distant, that to see him slowly open back up and tease her like old times was a blessing.

“Meredy complained that I was being, i’m quoting her here, ‘A grumpy old man’. If I didn’t come visit you today she’d never let me hear the end of it...I think she knew I wanted to be here today”

A blush spread across his cheeks as he fidgeted, nervous to be admitting this to her. Well, she was no better,  he could easily undo her, so she took pity on him.

“You wanted to be with me instead of out there serving justice? I’m honoured”

He huffed, acting annoyed even as the grin slowly took over his face.

“Yes, every now and then, ridding the world of dark guilds doesn’t completely dominate my thoughts. I wanted to be with you today at least...I feel there are things that need to be said between us. I didn’t realise the others would be so happy to drop me off here though.”

She moved to the table in the centre of one of her three rooms, motioning him to sit down with her.

“I think they can do without you for one day...probably, they are a volatile bunch”

He rose a brow at her as he sat opposite her, arms resting on the table.

“You’re not exactly inspiring confidence here Erza”

“Right, i'm sorry. What was it that you wanted to tell me?”

Straight to the point, but it was better to get discussions out of the way, especially if it was something important. Jellal hated lying, but that doesn’t mean he never flustered in the face of the truth.

_ Has it gotten to the point where I know more about his quirks then my own? _

A cough pulled her from her musings, his face had gotten redder as he looked around the room, interested in everything that wasn’t her. She gave him a moment to collect himself, watching as he took in a deep breath before he spoke. 

“First I...I wanted to aplogise. For lying. To you”

Jellal? Lying? Yeah right, even if he did she would see right through it.

“What are you talking about exactly?”

He wrung his fingers before tapping on the table, was what he had done really so bad?

“Ah...you see… I don’t actually have a fiance”

“I know you don’t”

“I know it was wrong of me, I’m sorry that I lied to you but I just didn’t feel that it was the right time- wait what?”

She snorted, a little amused by his confusion, though her brain was going into overdrive assessing why he was bringing this up, it took a lot to keep her voice under control.

“Please, you could never lie to me, the fact that you’re a truthful man in your heart prevents you from lying convincingly”

“Ah...right...of course…”

He frowned down at the table, gears turning in his head, poor boy probably thought he was much smoother then he was. Still, as cute as his floundering was, she she stop this before it got too far.

“Is that all you needed to say?”

“Oh! No! You just derailed everything I had planned to say”

Strangely, the more worked up and confused he got, the more relaxed she was. They could stumble through this together, to whatever conclusion this all came to.

“Well, pretend I didn’t interrupt. If I hadn’t jumped the gun on you, what would have you said?”

“I...I was going to ask that if you weren’t over me that-”

“Over you? A bit presumptuous there don’t you think?”

He tripped over his words once more as he tried to fix his mistake.

“I mean that if you hadn’t moved on from me- no that's worse I meant…” He let out a sharp yell of annoyance as he got up, maybe the teasing had gone too far. “i’m going to go now, save me from embarrassing myself further”

She shot up, rushing round the table to get in front of him, hand held out to stop him.

“Wait, please...i’m listening so please, tell me what it is you want to say”

He paused, looking her in the eye, searching for something in her expression. He must have found it, since he sighed, lowering his head, but no longer trying to escape.

“I just wanted to say...that I like you...a lot.If you were interested, after everything's calmed down, I was wondering...if you wanted to maybe…” He gulped, cursing a little under his breath as he fought to keep eye contact with her. “Ugh, I’m acting like such a lovesick teenager! Will you go out with me?!” 

Silence took over, she was surprised he had managed to get it out, but her heart soared at the very idea of it. Again, she wasn’t the type to be waiting for her prince charming, but if she was destined to have one...then she was glad it was him.

“Yes, I would love to be your girlfriend Jellal”

Even just saying those words spread a powerful and warm feeling through her, her heartbeat drumming loudly in her ears. She could feel the warm smile and colour on her cheeks, but found she didn’t mind at all.

“Really? Even if you have to wait for a while? It’s not quite safe to hang round with me just yet”

His disbelief was slightly alarming, hadn’t they kissed before? Surely her feelings were obvious, well if they weren’t then she was just going to have to be blunt with him.

“Jellal, I would wait for you, even if it was for months or years, i’ve waited this long after all. Just promise to write a letter or two, just to let me know you’re alright out there”

Seemingly stunned into silence by her words he looked away, the ever present blush somehow darkening, she was impressed and didn’t think for a moment she would ever find it not cute. She took his fidgeting hands in her own, forcing him to look her in the eye so he couldn’t see their entwined hands.

“Are you ok?”

He took a quick breath to steady himself, before nodding.

“Y-yeah i’m fine”

“Are you sure? I think your voice just cracked”

A small whine escaped his lips, she had to bite her own to trap her laughter.

“Erza please, go easy on me. If you can do that for the rest of the day i’ll promise to write once a month”

Her smile turned teasing, mirth sparkling in her eyes.

“Deal, but you do realise this means I can tease you when you finally come home”

“Well I hope to be more mentally prepa- wait, home?”

Uncertainty struck her for a fleeting moment, but she remembered how lonely she had been feeling, how she had been dreading this day, she wanted him here.

“When you return you’ll need a home right? Well, as you can see, I have plenty of space”

“Don’t you need to be a member of Fa-”

“No one will argue with me on this”

She must have been glaring, he flinched back slightly. She took a deep breath to cool herself down, she should save her righteous anger for any poor fool who tried to stop Jellal living with her, rules or no rules. A chuckle brought her out of her dark daydreams.

“If you say so Erza, I certainly wouldn’t want to mess with you while you’re on a mission...You know, it’s great to see you so relaxed, we usually only meet in dire situations, on dangerous end-of-the-world quests, so this is refreshing.”

“Well I have a very good reason to be happy”

Ok, that was sappy, were her friends rubbing off on her? It seemed to please Jellal though, a large smile on his face as he shook his head at her.

“Are we sure you’re Erza? I don’t remember you being so cheesy”

It was finally her turn to feel the burn of embarrassment, but it couldn’t dim the feelings of joy in her heart, Jellal was truly back and one day, he would be back for good. But for right now…

“Hey now, this is my home, any bad words against the host will get her boyfriend kicked out”

Thankfully he rose to the challenge, still a little wobbly, but getting there.

“I happen to know that this guests girlfriend is an incredibly b-beautiful and kind women….she would never throw him out”

“You may be right, but you might be wrong, probably best not to push your luck”

“...You’re probably right”

He gave in to her with a laugh, one that spread from him to her as she joined in, their pure, unadulterated joy at seeing each other finally being allowed to fully come to the surface. In her mind though she was already planning an impromptu home date, perhaps even with a kiss goodbye when he left.

Wouldn’t that be something worth waiting for? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok i'm ending this, even though I wanted to also wirte a Nali one, as my work and sickness bug has left my motivation in tatters. Maybe i'll come back to it when i'm in a more romantic mood.


	4. Dining together with Nali

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisanna tries to prepare a dinner for two, with varying degrees of success

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? I'm actually properly finishing this??  
> Yeah I've been on a fluff roll and actually feel motivated for romance now, so I know it's late but here's that last chapter.

She almost tripped over in her preparation to get things ready, her sister cruelly giggling at her from the doorway.Natsu was coming over and her house had to look perfect!

“He’s not coming for another hour you know?”

“I know! But I can't leave this last minute”

“I’m pretty sure this counts as last minute, you’re not even properly dressed yet”

She looked down at her bunny print pajamas and almost screamed in frustration. Instead she pressed her hands against Mira’s back, pushing her to the door.

“I’m sorry but can you please stop stressing me out? Go help someone somewhere or something.”

There was a chuckle as Mirajane, S-ranked demon mage, allowed herself to be pushed along by her younger sibling, Lisanna.

“Ok, Ok...Elfman is currently on a date with Evergreen” A terrifying smile crawled across her face. “ I could always check up on them”

“Yes, you could”

_ I am so sorry big brother i’ll make it up to you! _

Her devil sister left, no doubt scheming up some horrible plan. She took a second to mourn her victims before quickly moving on, she deserved a perfect Valentine’s day too! A quick scan showed everything looked clean, despite the interruptions, so next on the list was clothes. Natsu preferred casual gatherings, but she didn’t want to wear just any old thing  In the end, after scouring through her wardrobe, she met herself in the middle. A simple white sleeveless shirt with a navy jacket over it, a short blue skirt and a pair of small heeled shoes. Finish the look with a silver necklace to match her hair and she felt semi confident in herself. She quickly moved on to the next hurdle, the food. She took pride in her home cooking and hand preparing everything. With recipe book in hand, it took most of her hour to actually get dinner near enough done. She was just putting the finishing touches on their dishes when there was a loud knock on the door, followed by a louder greeting. She grinned in the mirror, unable to stop herself when she thought about who it was at the door. Taking in a deep breath, she calmed herself. It was only Natsu, the boy she had wanted to marry since they were children, arriving at her house for a date she was hosting, on Valentine’s day, no pressure.

The inner talk did her no favours as she walked through her home, but she swallowed down any remaining worries, she was going to enjoy today, and opened the door, There he was, beaming at her with a grin so wide it could outshine the sun. It made her blush to think she could make him so happy.

“Hey Lisanna! How are you doing today?”

He was wearing his usual scarf, over a black done up jacket, that was missing one arm to show off his guildmark. Pair that with his baggy trousers and she was glad she decided to stick to casual. But it was a good thing he was so relaxed around her he didn’t feel the need to dress up. Right, she nodded to herself, a comfy couple who had no problem cuddling up to one another or-

She cut that daydream short when she noticed Happy chuckling at her expense. She coughed to calm herself down and answered him. 

“I’m great Natsu, though even better now you’re here. You look great today, come in”

She moved aside to let him walk in, shutting the door behind them.

“See Happy, I’d told you see’d notice!”

“Aye sir, you did”

“Notice what?”

“That I tidied up these clothes just for today!”

“And broke Lucy’s iron doing it”

“That was you Happy, you shouldn’t have distracted me!”

As a small argument broke out in front of her door she felt a little awed. Of course Natsu put in effort, he just did it his own way. She felt touched in a strange sort of way. She shook her head fondly.

“Now, now you two. Natsu people aren’t going to lend you things if you keep breaking them”

“It was him Lisanna! He kept bugging me and getting me riled up. Then the next thing I knew, the iron had melted onto my hand...I had to ask Gajeel for help...That’s not funny!”

Maybe it was rude to laugh, but the image of a flailing Natsu with metal that had melted then cooled onto his hand was kind of funny. Of course for anyone else it would be horrible, but he came away with only a scratch that would soon heal. She was pretty sure Laxus called this ‘Dumb luck’.

“I’m sorry, but that was kinda silly of you”

“Silly of him you mean”

“Right” She looked down at a giggling Happy. “ You young man are grounded, no extra tasty fish for you for a week. It’s the tinned stuff for you”

“WHAT?!”

It was hard being a mother, especially when her ‘son’ had large, pleading cat eyes, but she managed it. She shook her head as Happy deflated, but picked him up to comfort him. She wasn’t too cruel a parent, she hoped. As she hugged him she felt an arm sling around her shoulders as Natsu leaned in close, nose rubbing against her cheek affectionately.

“That was great”

“Well someone has to be a good parent to our son, everyone knows you’re a terrible influence.”

Pink tinged his cheeks as he grumbled into her neck.

“Still going on about that are ya?”

Perhaps it was a bit tiring, but she could just imagine it. Her holding their lovely baby, Happy stood by her feet. He would probably be a little jealous he had to share his hugs. Natsu holding them both. It would be so perf-

A loud rumble broke her daydream apart. She flustered as she wasn’t sure whose stomach that was, Natsu looked equally embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head as he sheepishly smiled.

“Sooo... You said you were making dinner? I smell something amazing”

“Ah! Right I was, this way”

She walked over to the kitchen, placing Happy on the dining table, before quickly moving to their plates, still hot, that was a relief. She decided to sit next to Natsu at the table, placing his meal in front of him. For him a large well done steak, bathed in sauce, just how he liked it, with some chips as a side. She had decided to treat herself with a vegetable lasagne, the mix of different vegetables, ones she picked and chopped herself, always pleased her taste buds.

“This looks awesome Lisanna!” He nodded to the dirty pans, trays and cutlery in the sink. “Freshly made too”

He was probably pointing that out to be nice, but a small part of her was annoyed she had seen her kitchen in such a mess. Still it couldn’t be helped if she wanted the food to still be hot when he arrived.

“Yeah, I wanted to make everything myself, it took a little time, but I'm happy with the result.”

At her not so subtle prompting, he finally took a bite, grinning around his fork.

“Awesome Lisanna, I’m just gonna chow down”

“Go for it Natsu”

She giggled as he wolfed down his food, she was slower at eating, but it did her heart good to know he enjoyed her food. A small tug at her leg caught her attention, she looked down into the imploring eyes of a certain blue cat.

“Oh...ok, today is a special. You go and catch the biggest fish you can and i’ll cook it up for you”

“Really?!”

“Really Happy, I promise”

With a loud yell of triumph, he shot up and out of the window faster then she could blink. He could really go when properly motivated.

“You’re really too easy on him ya know?”

She shrugged, he was probably right.

“True, but it gets him out of the house for a bit, so it can be just the two of us”

Her hand found his, gently taking it in her own and squeezing it. He flustered a little, blushing and still a little new to this whole relationship thing. But he scooted his chair closer so he could lean his shoulder against hers, head resting a little on hers. 

“Thanks Lisanna, you didn’t have ta do this for me, we could have gone somewhere.”

“I know, but I think a secret meal together like this is more special, don’t you agree?”

He made a small, noncommittal hum as he fidgeted with his clothing. He then tilted his head to the centre of the table.

“Is that why you put that up?”

She finally remembered the tall candle in the centre of the table...which was supposed to be lit!

“Oooo, I was meant to light it, to give the room some ambience”

“I can help with that!”

Before she could protest, he stood up, leaning over so he could reach the candle. This seemed like a terrible idea, but she actually let him call on his fire magic. His cheeks puffed as he got ready to spit out flame and she mentally started preparing to apologise to her sister for the damages. But, to her surprise, only a small flame came out of his mouth, lighting nothing but the candle. He sat back down with a smug grin on his face.

“What? I can hold back when I want to. I just don’t often need to.”

Appreciation shot through her being as she hugged his shoulders, enjoying the feeling of his arm hugging her back. He held back for her, but she also knew that if she was in trouble, he would let loose with all his strength for her too. It was a warm, safe feeling that she cherished. She released him, set to finish her meal, when she noticed he was fidgeting again. He was starting to get antsy, perhaps a candlelit dinner wasn’t the best option for their date…

“Do you want to go explore the city?”

“What?!”

“Well, we might find something interesting? I bet there will be quite a few events and stalls out for today”

She had her private moment with him. Laughing with him outside as they mess around would be fun too. The more she thought about the, the more excited she got, she could feel him sharing her enthusiasm. 

“Really?! But what about Happy?”

“He’s a flying cat Natsu, he’ll find us. I wasn’t joking when I said I wanted some time for just us anyway.”

“Right! Lets-” He shot up, before looking around, grimacing and sitting back down. “ But you should finish your meal first, don’t want you running out of energy”

“Are you sure? I could-”

“Nah, it’s fine. Besides I like looking around your house”

She blushed as she continued to eat, why in the world would he like her home? She shared it with her family after all, but there were a few personal touches of hers here and there. Maybe he liked to find them?

“Did you always eat veggie meals Lisanna? I’m sure we used to eat fish and stuff together”

He was staring down at her plate, now that he had finished his own meal, like he just noticed what was on it. She snorted, a bad habit she had picked up from the other girls in the guild.

“You can like different meals Natsu. But I do eat less meat then I used to, in fact I only really eat fish now. I think it’s my magic, as I've gotten better and developed a better connection with my animal sides, it’s gotten hard to want to eat them.” 

He nodded, looking thoughtful.

“Yeah it would be weird for a rabbit to eat a rabbit, but…”

“But?”

He looked around, then leaned in close to whisper in her ear, like this was a secret just for her to know.

“I think Aries eats lamb”

Aries? The pink haired celestial spirit? Eats...lamb? How was she meant to respond to that revelation? She must have looked as dumbfounded as she felt because he nodded violently.

“Freaky right?! Is that cannibalism? What’s going on in her mind?!”

It started as a snicker as she tried to control her mouth into a straight line. But once she took in his overly aghast expression, she couldn’t help herself, she laughed. He stared at her, distraught for a moment, before joining in. After a moment, they calmed down.

“That was silly”

“Right, next thing you know Cancer eats crabs!...wait...does he?”

As the gers turned in his brain, she stood up to blow out the candle. He immediately took both plates, dumping them into the sink with a grin. She heaved out a heavy sigh at his antics.

“Could you be a little more careful?”

“Sorry Lisanna, just excited I get to have fun with my girlfriend”

He held her hand, ready to drag her away, blushing and looking away from her. They were both stumbling into this, neither of them perfect. But his flaws were harmless and added to his charm for sure. He loved her in his own way, she loved him back in hers, they were just going to have to make this work. Determined, and pulling some confidence from Natsu, she kissed his cheek before tugging him along.

“Alright, let’s go! Last one there pays for everything!”

“Hey! No fair on a head start!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lisanna presents herself as a very traditional thinking woman when it comes to relationships. She wants the big wedding, the child, the family life. I have no doubt she would continue guild work, but I bet being a mother would be just as, if not more, important to her. It's interesting to pair her with someone who has shown little to no interest in that kind of life, they would have to make a lot of compromises but I bet they would be as loyal as hell to each other.


	5. Lolu in the rain part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loke's POV of him and Lucy warming up after being caught in the rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah I have no excuse for this. I reread my previous chapters to write that Nali one and was inspired to continue this one. Think of it as a thank you for putting up with my terrible release schedule, this story really is finished this time I promise.

They ran in through her front door, giggling and teasing each other. She shut the door behind them as he pulled her close, both of them too wet to care about how soaked the other was.

“Ok, that was the most fun I’ve had in awhile my sweet”

“Really? I’ll have to summon you more often then”

_ Oh please do! _

His heart jumped at the idea, he must be starting to grin like a loon. Oh well. He moved her bags to the nearest table, hearing a small noise of discontent from her. Amused he turned his head to look at her.

“What? Missing me already?”

“No, I’m too focused on the mess you’re making”

He followed her line of sight downward and grimaced at the dirty puddles he had spread across her floor. Apologetic,he peeled his shoes off, gently dropping them off by the door where she had deposited her own. 

“Ugh, everythings soaked and I'm freezing. I'm going to run a bath, I need to warm up”

He hummed in agreement, even with his jacket, she was shivering slightly, though he wasn’t doing much better. He absently rubbed at his arms, trying to get some heat into them. Frowning, she handed over his jacket, it felt heavy in his hands, just showed how drenched it was he supposed. 

“Go back to the spirit world and get yourself dried and warmed up”

He felt almost offended at the mere suggestion of leaving her.

“No”

“....Excuse me?”

“I’ll be fine Lucy, time goes faster in the Spirit world remember? Even if I was to take my own quick bath to warm myself up, I’d miss spending time with you. I’m not going to do that, even if I spend today on your doormat.”

He’d freeze before he missed Valentine’s day with Lucy, this might be the only year he’s allowed to spend it with her. He was absolutely going to take every second he could get. His determination must have shown on his face because she heaved a heavy sigh.

“You’d really rather spend the day cold then not spend it with me? That’s ridiculous...though so was running through the rain with me, so maybe you have a screw loose”

“Excuse me?! I’ll have you know that-”

She held up a hand to interrupt him, resigned.

“Ok you wait here for a sec. I’ll be right back.”

He nodded ferventantly, glad she had agreed to let him stay. As she walked off he was intrigued by a small blush on her cheeks. Was she touched by his words perhaps? Well he would spend every second of his immortal life with her if he could. Until the stars themselves died and it was just the two of them together in the stardust. She deserved to know that, he would tell her endlessly until she realised it. A small cough pulled him out of his musings and he focused on his mistress, wanting to know what she needed, when his brain froze and broke down. There was his lovely lady, in a two piece swimsuit. It was rather conservative, for her anyway, as it covered her chest completely, but he wasn’t complaining. Not when he got to see her stunning legs on full display. Eyes trailing upward, absentantly noting the white and blue design, enjoying every sight along the way, they finally locked onto her dark crimson cheeks.

“Take off your clothes”

He choked. He was dreaming, he must be. The cold had put him into some sort of coma and he was having a lovely dream. She flustered, yelling at him, presumably to stop him from getting the wrong idea. Well too late for that.

“Keep your boxers on you pervert! You’re so damned determined to stay and i’m not going to let you freeze to death. So...while our clothes are drying let’s...let’s…”

She struggled to finish the sentence, but she didn’t need to. His keen hearing picked up the sound of running water and his smirk couldn’t be any wider if he tried. He made a show of slowly pulling off his shirt before stretching and handing it to her. He did not miss the way her eyes flickered onto his chest, causing him to push it out a little more in pride. If she was interested, he had no qualms about giving her a show, though it would probably kill them both. She already sounded like she was dying and he could only take so many appreciative looks before he kissed her or something. Lust and love are two very different things, she could be physically attracted to him without wanting him on her. He pulled himself into check, pulling off his trousers and socks, handing them to her as she rushed off to the dryer. 

He quickly made his way to the bathroom, trying his best to clear his mind of terrible thoughts. They were just warming up together, then they were probably going to sit on Lucy’s couch, gossip and eat chocolate. Nothing that could be construed as time spent between lovers in that, nope not at all. He sighed as he took his glasses off, making them disappear with his magic. He could have just changed into his suit, but all that would have accomplished was getting that wet too. Besides, didn’t he just affirm that he wanted to spend time with her? If that included a platonic bath together well, apparently Team Natsu used to do that all the time, so it wasn’t that weird. He just needed to keep his thoughts out of the gutter and appreciate just being with her, he could do that. 

He had finally mentally prepared himself, when she walked through the door and shattered him all over again. He watched mindlessly as she hurried over and turned the tap off, putting her hand into the water to judge it’s temperature. Staring into the water, she spoke so softly he almost didn’t catch it.

“You need to get in first”

“Huh?”

_ Intelligent response there Loke, maybe stop staring at her for one second and listen. _

“I’ve never shared this bath with anyone before, we may not fit”

Never. Shared. Before. He could feel his own face heat up at the implications of her words. He shook himself, mentally scolding himself for losing track so quickly. He put one foot tentatively into the bath, before fully sliding in. Unable to stop a small moan of pleasure as the numbness in his body was chased away. She didn’t look quite as happy at his reaction.

“Did you have to make that noise?”

“Sorry, but this is just what I needed. Come on in, if you lean against me you should fit fine”

He sat up, offering her his hand and helping her step into the bath. Against her own better judgement, she relaxed against his back, leaning them both backwards, letting out a pleased hum.

“You were right, this is heaven”

_ You were right, hearing someone else make noises of pleasure is hell. _

“Y-yeah, so just relax”

Easy to say, not so easy to do when the woman of your dreams is relaxed between your legs. He tapped the side of the bath, unsure of exactly where to put his hands, he definitely didn’t want to offend her now, even if his mind kept reminding him of her soft back pressed against his chest. Maybe she could tell he was nervous, or maybe she was just bored, but she reached for his hands, allowing them to rest on her belly. Her fingers trailed idly over his own.

“...L-lucy? What are you…?”

“Oh sorry.” He almost whined when she stopped, letting go of his hands. “I’m a bit of a fidgeter, it’s easier to shut off my brain and just rest if my hands are doing something. But if it bothers you i’ll stop”

“It doesn’t bother me, just maybe a little warning next time?” So he doesn’t have a near heart attack. Geez how gone must he be when any small display of affection can send him reeling? “So please, if it helps you, continue”

She nodded, head resting on his right shoulder as she laid back against him. Her hands started gently rubbing his own and he had to admit, she was right. There was something about the calm movements that just completely chilled him out. His head tilted to the side,cheek resting on her, as he idly watched her fingers at work. She started to rub slow circles into the back of his hand and he felt his eyelids starts to shut. They just seemed so inexplicably heavy, maybe it was the heat soothing him, her gentle ministrations or slight exhaustion from the running and the rain. Perhaps, and this was most likely in his opinion, it was just how relaxed he was with her, there was nowhere else he could be and feel safer. Whatever was causing this, hopefully his mistress wouldn’t mind if her spirit had a quick nap. She was starting to hum a quiet tune to herself, he let the melody gently rock him as he fell into slumber...

Only to be harshly woken by a loud beeping, they both jumped, splashing water everywhere. She rubbed at her eyes as they both looked around, confused. Had she drifted off too? The water was tepid at best, how long had he been out? Man that was embarrassing. But he felt revitalised, napping with her energised him in a way nothing else ever had, so there was that, maybe? She cursed as she quickly got out of the bath, wrapping a towel around herself.

“Our clothes!”

She shot out of the room, leaving him a little shell shocked and already missing her touch. He sighed to himself as he pulled the bath plug, letting the water swirl down the drain. He absently wondered if there was a metaphor hidden there before getting out and starting to towel himself down. He was dry again when she came bursting back in, dressed in something white and fluffy as she chucked something similar at him, out of breath.

“What’s this?”

“A dressing gown” He could see that. It felt warm to the touch, she must have heated them up too. It had a love heart design on the sleeves, with Lucy’s name written in a dark blue at the back. At his unimpressed glance she continued. “See, the plan was, heat them up while we’re in the bath. Wear them to keep us warm while we wait for our clothes to dry and heat up. Then change into them or whatever. But I fell asleep and messed up the whole thing! Though I think you’re partially to blame for being so comfortable”

Comfortable huh? She must be upset to have not registered that slip of the tongue. Still he’ll take it, a small smirk on his lips as his joy overtook him.

“Oh? So where are our clothes hmmm Lucy?”

“In the dryer obviously”

“Of course. It’s just...Wouldn’t it have been quicker to do our clothes first?”

She floundered, blabbering out incomplete sentences and rapidly changing excuses. Her face got redder and redder as his grin got wider and wider.

“Awww Lucy, my adorable princess, did you think I'd take my clothes and leave? Didn’t I say I wanted to stay?”

“You did! That’s not why I did this! These would be warmer quicker! They aren’t wet so it was a simple task to heat them up...though I definitely left them heat up for too long”

She glared at the bath behind him and he giggled, putting on the dressing gown and tying it up.

“Ya know something? I can't help but notice how snug this fits me, buy it with me in mind my love?”

He was deriving some sort of sick joy watching her choke on nothing, desperate to look anywhere but at him.

“No! I ordered a personalised dressing gown from a magazine, but that arrived in the mail. Obviously a bit too big for me right? So I got in touch, turns out it was an error on their end and they sent me this for free” She gave a quick twirl in her own gown. “You can have that one if you like”

“I can? Why what a fabulous Valentine's Day gift, even though it has your name on it” She flustered, about to take back her offer but he shook his head. “Don’t worry, I like the idea of everyone knowing who I belong to. Just change the writing to Lucy’s and it’s perfect”

Looking over at her, he bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing. Ok it was probably time to stop tormenting the poor woman before she combusted from embarrassment. He put a hand on her shoulder, leading his bewildered diamond to her living room couch, moving his hand to hers to help her as she sat down. He reluctantly let go to get her shopping, quickly retrieving the carrier bags so he could drop onto the couch next to her. The sudden movement, plus the rustling of the bags, pulled her from her shock, allowing her to finally look at him. She gave him a once over, probably finally appreciated how good he made this outfit look, before shaking her head in disbelief.

“You really want that?”

“Of course, I'll wear it often. I just wish I had a proper gift to give you in return”

He frowned as it hit him properly that he hadn’t really given her anything. Yeah sure he had offered his company and helped her through the rain but...she deserved something more, but what could he give her on such short notice?

“I can see your brain churning there Loke, it’s fine really. This time together is enough”

No, it really wasn’t. Nothing he could offer was good enough, but he had to try. Tapping his fingers absently against his leg, he noticed the glint of gold on his finger. His whole being brightened with a sudden and brilliant idea. He took a ring off his finger, a gold band with his constellation inscribed on the inside. 

“Here you go Lucy! My gift to you!”

”W-what?!”

Ignoring her outburst, he gently took her hand and placed the ring on her ring finger. She seemed startled when it glowed and shrank, fitting her finger perfectly. 

“It’s made from Celestial spirit magic, or, more specifically, my magic. It changes to fit the wearers needs. Honestly I should have done this sooner”

“Y-you should?”

“Yeah”In his excitement he removed the small amount of space between them, side completely up against hers as he spoke. “This has a piece of my magic in! Do you know what that means?” After a beat she shook her head. “It means I’ll always be able to find you when you’re in trouble! As long as you wear it”

He was saddened to see her visibly deflate, cheeks puffed out in annoyance over something, had he offended her? She snatched back her hand, grabbing the bag and pulling out a large chocolate bar. The blush on her cheeks slowly dying as she unwrapped it.

“Sounds a bit creepy, you always being able to know where I am.”

Something foul shot through him at that, he almost snapped at her, but the insult died on his tongue. No, today was the today for being a gentleman, deep breaths Loke.

“You’re free to return it then”

The glare he received in response somehow shaved years off his immortal life. Did the room just get colder?

“No, it’s mine now. If you regret giving me a ring that’s tough”

The end of her sentence trailed off as she mumbled something darkly under her breath. He caught something about false hope but the meaning was lost on him. She angrily bit into her chocolate and he winced, not enjoying the sudden awkward atmosphere between them. He rubbed at his knees, trying to figure out what his big mistake was, usually he was so much better at reading women then this, when he noticed that she hadn’t actually moved away from him. Relief poured through him as he focused on the feeling of her leaning against his side, inspiring him to be a little cheeky. Well he couldn’t mess this up even worse then he apparently had. He slowly moved his arm around her shoulders, his hand softly resting on her opposite shoulder. She tensed and for one bleak moment he was sure he was about to die, when she suddenly relaxed, looking up at him and nodding. She allowed him to pull her in close, her head resting on his chest as she continued to nibble her chocolate. Appeased by her approval, he rested his head on hers as he sank against the couch and pulled her in against him. This was home, regardless of how she saw him, these moments of easy care and affection were everything to him. A lazy smile appeared on her face and why did he need the celestial spirit world again?

“Thanks Loke”

“Huh? For what?”

“This day was looking to be absolutely terrible, a complete mess...but you’ve really cheered me up.” She didn’t need to thank him for that, he’d do anything to make her smile, even make a fool of himself. “ I’ve enjoyed today, how i’ve actually managed to not completely flounder around you and how easy this has all been, even if you completely messed up a certain cue. I swear Loke, if you truly like me as much as you say, you’re going to kick yourself one day” What’s with the if? He loved her with all his heart! Was...was she finally starting to accept that? He stared at her expectantly as she bit her lip. “I guess what I’m saying is...only if you have the time and aren’t busy!...Is maybe you’ll want to visit me next year too?”

Absolutely over the moon he wrapped both of his arms around her, pulling her fully onto her lap and ignoring her squeak of surprise. The bag dropped to the floor, immediately forgotten by the both of them.

“ Yes Lucy! Completely and totally yes! I would never spend today with anyone else and I could never be too busy for you. So it’s a date!”

He nuzzled her, attempting to let out all his positive emotions now while he could. Since he was expecting another shutdown, he was surprised when she instead looked at him earnestly.

“A date huh?....I look forward to it”

He was pretty sure his heart stopped as she snuggled closer, curled up completely against him. She started talking about her book, probably trying to use him to get past her writer's block, but he was miles away, in a land of pure bliss. Lucy, comfortable in  _ his _ arms? Acting like she belonged there? He was a dead man. The promise of more of this next year was the only thing that revived him. 

A year in the human world wasn’t that long to him, he absolutely could wait that long. So why did he already feel like it was going to be the longest human year of his celestial life?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is the end of the story of how they started dating without realising they were.  
> Erza makes a comment a few months later while she's in his lap and then they both twig is how I see that going.  
> Thank you for reading this!


End file.
